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From: William Zame <zame>
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 1999 09:35:20 -0700
I encouraged a young friend of mine (12) who has been reading mostly adult books for the last year to read Harry Potter. When finished he said he still preferred Redwall and Tolkien but could understand why adults like Harry so much--nostalgia. When pressed a bit more he said that he thought the HP books reminded us of being kids without really being the kids we were.
When I was a young librarian I quickly learned that kids read 'up'. They want to read about children and exeperiences a step or more ahead of them--they want to read into and onto the next developemental stage. Some children crossover into adult books at 11, 12, 13 and don't return to reading children's or even young adult books. My young friend is certainly on that path and would much rather have Steven King than HP although he is waiting eagerly for the next Dark Materials book.
I wonder then about adults reading 'down'. That the experience of reading a children's book is perceived by many adults as a regressive step. It would then take something very special to make adults reach backwards. So it might take a very good book, an efficacious publicity effort or a stimulating book talk by someone who knows and loves children's books.
My experience in facilitating an adult discussion group where we read only children's books has been that the adults are continously surprised by the quality of writing and the psychological depth in these stories. They somehow expect things to be simpler, more easily resolved, more simply put than in an adult novel. They've forgotten how complex their feelings and thoughts were as children.
One of the things that HP does so well is catch something of the complexity of childhood in this absolutely delightful setting--that is real and not real. I've stated in an earlier post what I think some of those experiences are but I think my young friend is at least partially right when he says HP makes us nostalgic. HP captures a bit of us all and a bit of all the struggles in growing up and then 'twists' the reality just enough so we can recognize ourselves and our experiences and laugh, cry and cheer.
Now if someone will please tell me the school colors I can order my Hogwarts sweatshirt.
Linda Goettina
Received on Thu 10 Jun 1999 11:35:20 AM CDT
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 1999 09:35:20 -0700
I encouraged a young friend of mine (12) who has been reading mostly adult books for the last year to read Harry Potter. When finished he said he still preferred Redwall and Tolkien but could understand why adults like Harry so much--nostalgia. When pressed a bit more he said that he thought the HP books reminded us of being kids without really being the kids we were.
When I was a young librarian I quickly learned that kids read 'up'. They want to read about children and exeperiences a step or more ahead of them--they want to read into and onto the next developemental stage. Some children crossover into adult books at 11, 12, 13 and don't return to reading children's or even young adult books. My young friend is certainly on that path and would much rather have Steven King than HP although he is waiting eagerly for the next Dark Materials book.
I wonder then about adults reading 'down'. That the experience of reading a children's book is perceived by many adults as a regressive step. It would then take something very special to make adults reach backwards. So it might take a very good book, an efficacious publicity effort or a stimulating book talk by someone who knows and loves children's books.
My experience in facilitating an adult discussion group where we read only children's books has been that the adults are continously surprised by the quality of writing and the psychological depth in these stories. They somehow expect things to be simpler, more easily resolved, more simply put than in an adult novel. They've forgotten how complex their feelings and thoughts were as children.
One of the things that HP does so well is catch something of the complexity of childhood in this absolutely delightful setting--that is real and not real. I've stated in an earlier post what I think some of those experiences are but I think my young friend is at least partially right when he says HP makes us nostalgic. HP captures a bit of us all and a bit of all the struggles in growing up and then 'twists' the reality just enough so we can recognize ourselves and our experiences and laugh, cry and cheer.
Now if someone will please tell me the school colors I can order my Hogwarts sweatshirt.
Linda Goettina
Received on Thu 10 Jun 1999 11:35:20 AM CDT
